The upcoming Palestine Writes Literary Festival to be held at Penn has drawn the predictable charges of anti-semitism, where any criticism of Zionism or the state of Israel is conflated with being against the Jewish people or Judaism. If this is an issue that interests or troubles you — or if you care about academic freedom — I suggest you take time to read the attached … [Read more...] about Palestine Writes Literary Festival
settler colonialism
Notes from the Editor
The denial of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination is arguably the very heart of the injustice in Palestine. Most north Americans are unaware that Article 55 of the Charter of the UN recognized this right in the aftermath of World War Two. It states in part: “With a view to the creation of conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for … [Read more...] about Notes from the Editor
Thacker Pass project — another travesty
Thacker Pass is a project to mine Lithium on sacred lands of the Shoshone & Paiute in Nevada — and it is a serious threat to the native people's health, culture, and environment. The Bureau of Land Management should never have approved it, but the administration pushed hard for its approval and is defending it in court. The Thacker Pass project not only fails the basic … [Read more...] about Thacker Pass project — another travesty
Decolonizing Minds, Including My Own, About U.S. Capitalist State Settler Colonialism
Gary Olson “The discovery of gold and silver in America, the extirpation, enslavement and entombment in mines of the aboriginal population, the beginning of the conquest and looting of the East Indies, the turning of Africa into a warren for the hunting of black skins, signaled the rosy dawn of the era of capitalist production. These idyllic proceedings … [Read more...] about Decolonizing Minds, Including My Own, About U.S. Capitalist State Settler Colonialism
Israel & Palestine today
Because the corporate media and our elected officials refuse to tell the truth about what's happening in Palestine, here are a few articles that reveal the ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and apartheid of Israel. NOTE: It's important not to conflate Israel or zionism with Judaism or the Jewish people, who have a long history of advocating for universal human rights. In this … [Read more...] about Israel & Palestine today
Unlearning What We’re Taught in School
Clare Meehan As a third grader, I remember re-creating the first Thanksgiving, making teepee and wigwam structures. It was fun and lighthearted. We even had a special day for us to excitedly share our creations with our parents. In sixth grade, I participated in ‘Latin American Day’, where the whole grade dedicated a day to holding a market. Students brought in … [Read more...] about Unlearning What We’re Taught in School
1%-Funded Rally Actors
Re-open Americaas colonial settler thugsOpened her—oceans of blood, rivers of tears… Calling All Rally Actors—Calling All Rally Actorsfor psy-wars—for encoresfrom gun stores—ol’ hardcoresGun-toting rally actors who ride or die—Black Panther Party-types need not apply… LIBERATE MICHIGAN!!LIBERATE MINNESOTA!!LIBERATE VIRGINIA!! Boots on the … [Read more...] about 1%-Funded Rally Actors
The Americanization of Eastern and Southern European Immigrants
ROXANNE DUNBAR-ORTIZ[Link to the image of this book’s cover: https://images.app.goo.gl/iUjAjYfsYVbuccYK7] Mahmood Mamdani locates the founding moment of the modern nation-state at 1492. “That year marked the beginning of the nation-state… born of two developments in Iberia. One was ethnic cleansing, whereby the Castilian monarchy sought to create a homogeneous national … [Read more...] about The Americanization of Eastern and Southern European Immigrants
A poem by Raymond Nat Turner
Shooting and looting started: 400 years ago Shooting, looting, scalping, lynching, Raping, torturing their way across the continent — 400 years ago — Colonial settler thugs launched this endless crimson tide rolling down on Today... Colonial settler thugs launched this endless crimson tide leaving in- visible yellow crimescene tape crisscrossing Tallahassee to … [Read more...] about A poem by Raymond Nat Turner
Making Sense of the Recent Election in Israel
Jeff Halper Editor’s Note: We have combined two Facebook postings by Jeff Halper that dealt with the September 17, 2019 election in Israel. The first appeared on September 14, three days prior to the election, and the second, on September 18, the day after. The titles for each section are ours. In a surprising twist since the election, President Reuven Rivlin chose Mr. … [Read more...] about Making Sense of the Recent Election in Israel